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                North Rail Connector Project
    

    
    
          Project Description

The Jackson County Port Authority (JCPA) proposes to construct the North Rail Connector (the Project).  The Project would connect existing rail owned by Mississippi Export Railroad (MSE) that crosses over the Escatawpa River in Moss Point, Mississippi, to existing JCPA-owned rail that crosses through the Moss Point Industrial and Technology Complex (MPITC) and provides access to the Port of Pascagoula, Bayou Casotte Harbor.

The purpose of the Project is to provide additional railroad capacity and connectivity to support the growing needs of the Port of Pascagoula, Bayou Casotte Harbor. Currently, freight trains that travel from the north on the MSE line must pass through downtown Moss Point and Pascagoula to the Pascagoula Interchange to join CSX rail. This operation regularly blocks road traffic and creates delays at four major roadway intersections. Also, the curve alignment from the existing MSE line entering into the MPITC is too tight for the expected length of train to travel through the area safely. The Project would remove operational conflicts between railroads, reduce congestion, and accommodate the proposed restoration of passenger rail service.

The location of the North Rail Connector would be in Section 19, Township 7 South, and Range 5 West of Jackson County, Mississippi. The approximate center point of the proposed rail is at 30.415546 degrees latitude and -88.514452 degrees longitude. The new rail would extend from mile post 2.89 (30.251207/-88.310005) at the northern project limits, to mile post 2.05 (30.413308/-88.508269) on the east, where it would join existing rail.

Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

FRA, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. § 4321, et seq., evaluating the potential environmental impacts of the Project to the human and natural environment.

FRA approved a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for this project on December 14, 2021.

North Rail Connector FONSI
	North Rail Connector EA
	Appendix A - Figures
	Appendix B - MDEQ Air Quality Data Summary
	Appendix C - Escatawpa River Phase One Total Maximum Daily Load for Mercury
	Appendix D - Noise and Vibration Report
	Appendix E - Wetland Delineation Report
	Appendix F - FEMA FIRM Map
	Appendix G - IPaC Report USFWS Consultation Letters
	Appendix H - Photographs of the Proposed Project Area
	Appendix I - Census Data for Project Area
	Appendix J - 2019 Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
	Appendix K part 1 - Section 106 FRA Designation Letter / Section 106 Cultural Resources Report / SHPO and THPO Consultation Letters
	Appendix K part 2 - SHPO and THPO Correspondence
	Appendix L part 1 - Agency Consultation/Correspondence
	Appendix L part 2 - US Army Corps of Engineers Correspondence
	Appendix M - Pre-NEPA Meeting Attendees
	Appendix N - USACE List of Agencies Contacted**FRA NEPA Contact:**
Amanda Murphy, Environmental Protection Specialist 
Environment and Project Engineering Division
Federal Railroad Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
West Building, Mail Stop 20
Washington, DC 20590Amanda.Murphy2@dot.gov

Permitting Dashboard

The U.S. Permitting Dashboard is an online tool for Federal agencies, project sponsors, and interested members of the public to track the Federal government’s environmental review and authorization processes for large or complex infrastructure projects. The Dashboard is part of a government-wide effort to improve coordination, transparency, and accountability. A link to this project’s page on the Dashboard is below.

Permitting Dashboard Link
              
      
    
          Last updated: Friday, December 17, 2021 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

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